The Mother Of Fire(AANGXOC)

The Puppetmaster

"Gotta get up out of here and 
You ain't leaving me behind
I know you won't, 'cause we share common interests you 
Need me, there ain't no leaving me behind
Never know, no, just want out of here yeah
Once I'm gone, ain't no going back"

_____________________

Aang and his friends gathered around a campfire underneath a gnarled and twisted tree.

"Suddenly, they heard something down the hall, in the dark. Oooh... It came into the torchlight. And they knew the blade of Wing - Fun was haunted! Aah-ah..."

Sokka dramatically pulls his sword out and wails in an attempt to be scary. Aang, Katzumi, Katara, and Toph are unimpressed.

"I think I liked "the man with a sword for a hand" better." Aang says

"Water Tribe slumber parties must stink." Katzumi laughs out

"No, wait, I've got one, and this is a true Southern Water Tribe story."

"Is this one of those "a friend of my cousin knew some guy that this happened to" stories?" Sokka asks

"No, it happened to Mom." everyone focuses their attention on Katara "One winter, when Mom was a girl, a snowstorm buried the whole village for weeks. A month later, Mom realized she hadn't seen her friend Nini since the storm. So mom and some others went to check on Nini's family. When they got there, no one was home, just a fire flickering in the fireplace. While the men went out to search, Mom stayed in the house. When she was alone, she heard a voice, "It's so cold and I can't get warm." Mom turned and saw Nini standing by the fire. She was blue, like she was frozen. Mom ran outside for help, but... when everyone came back, Nini was gone."

"Where'd she go?" Sokka asks

"No one knows. Nini's house stands empty to this day. But sometimes, people see smoke coming from the chimney, like little Nini is still trying to get warm."

Toph gasps and places a hand to the ground.

"Wait. Guys, did you hear that? I hear people under the mountain, and they're screaming."

Aang, Katzumi, Katara, Momo, and Sokka all hug each other, trembling with fear. Sokka soon regains his composure.

"Pft, nice try."

"No, I'm serious, I hear something."

"You're probably just jumpy from the ghost stories." Katzumi concludes

"It just stopped."

"All right, now I'm getting scared." Aang says

"Hello, children.

Aang, Katzumi, Katara, Sokka, and Momo all scream and run off, revealing her. They all gather around and hug Toph. She walks into the fire's light "Sorry to frighten you, my name is Hama. You children shouldn't be out in the forest by yourselves at night. I have an inn nearby, why don't you come back there for some spiced tea and warm beds?" Hama asks

"Yes, please."

Hama smiles and walks away.

☯

Everyone is gathered around a square table under a single lit lamps in the dining room. They all have cups of tea, and Hama is pouring Katara's.

"Thanks for letting us stay here tonight. You have a lovely inn." Katara says

"Aren't you sweet? You know, you should be careful. People have been disappearing in those woods you were camping in." Hama explains

"What do you mean, disappearing?"Sokka asks